Emilie Meyer
Nabe, or Japanese hot pot, is a staple meal in Japanese cuisine, especially during the colder seasons. It is a comforting and nourishing dish that is easy to prepare and fun to eat. The concept of nabe involves a mixture of fresh vegetables, meat, seafood, tofu, soybean products, or seasonal ingredients, all cooked in a simmering soup broth in a pot. While there are many varieties of nabe, the most important piece of equipment for making it is the cooking pot itself, traditionally a donabe, a Japanese earthenware pot designed to cook hot pot dishes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Hot Pot |
| Cuisine | Japanese |
| Ingredients | Broth, Vegetables, Proteins |
| Common Broths | Dashi, Soy Milk, Water |
| Common Vegetables | Napa Cabbage, Carrots, Green Onions, Chrysanthemum Leaves |
| Common Proteins | Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish, Shellfish, Tofu |
| Toppings | Green Onion, Shichimi Togarashi, Yuzu Zest |
| Dipping Sauces | Ponzu, Goma Dare |
| Equipment | Donabe, Portable Stove |
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What You'll Learn
- Choosing a pot: A donabe is traditional, but any large pot or pan will work
- Broth: Use dashi, or water with soy sauce, sake, or miso
- Ingredients: Add vegetables, meat, seafood, tofu, and season with shichimi togarashi
- Cooking: Simmer ingredients in broth, adding delicate items last
- Serving: Eat from the pot, dipping ingredients in ponzu or goma dare
Choosing a pot: A donabe is traditional, but any large pot or pan will work
When it comes to choosing a pot for cooking nabe, a donabe is the traditional choice. A donabe is a type of Japanese earthenware pot made with heavy ceramic to effectively retain and distribute heat. It is specifically designed for cooking hot pot dishes and comes in a variety of beautiful designs and sizes. If you plan on cooking nabe regularly, investing in a quality donabe is a great option.
However, it's important to note that any large pot or pan can also be used to cook nabe. If you don't have access to a donabe or prefer to use alternative cookware, there are several other suitable options available. For example, a large braiser, flat-bottomed wok, Dutch oven, or even a wide pan can be used as an alternative to a donabe. These options can be placed on a stovetop or tabletop stove, depending on your preference and available equipment.
If you're seeking a more portable option, a small, enameled Dutch oven or shallow pot can be used in combination with a portable burner. This setup allows you to cook and serve the nabe directly on the dining table, creating a communal dining experience.
Additionally, the type of stove you use may depend on the chosen pot. While donabe typically requires a gas stove, other pots may be compatible with electric stoves or induction burners.
Ultimately, the choice of pot depends on your personal preference, the availability of cookware, and the desired dining experience. Whether you opt for a traditional donabe or a modern alternative, you can still create delicious nabe dishes to enjoy with family and friends.
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Broth: Use dashi, or water with soy sauce, sake, or miso
The broth is an essential part of a nabe pot, also known as a Japanese hot pot, as it forms the base of the whole meal. You can use dashi, a Japanese soup stock, or water with soy sauce, sake, or miso.
To make dashi, you will need kombu (dried kelp), katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), and water. First, add the kombu to the water and bring it to a boil. Remove the kombu just before the water starts to simmer, then add the katsuobushi. Remove the saucepan from the heat and use a pair of chopsticks to gently press the katsuobushi into the water until it is submerged. Let the broth sit undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir, as it will make the dashi cloudy. Finally, strain the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel.
If you want to use water with soy sauce and sake, simply bring the water to a boil and add the soy sauce and sake to taste. You can also add mirin for extra flavor.
For a miso broth, add miso to taste to the water. You can also add toasted sesame seeds and other ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables.
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Ingredients: Add vegetables, meat, seafood, tofu, and season with shichimi togarashi
When preparing a nabe pot, the ingredients you choose to include will depend on your preferences. For the broth, you can use water, soymilk, or dashi, a Japanese soup stock traditionally made from kombu (edible kelp), bonito flakes, and dried mushrooms. If you use kombu, remember to wipe it with a cloth and not wash it. Soak the kombu in water for about 30 minutes, then heat it slowly. As the water boils, remove the kombu and take the stock off the heat.
For vegetables, you can use napa cabbage, carrots, daikon, green onions, chrysanthemum leaves, leeks, mushrooms, and squash. Cut the root vegetables and squash into small or thin pieces. For mushrooms, use fresh or dried shiitake, maitake, shimeji, enoki, or oyster mushrooms. If using dried mushrooms, soak them first and possibly precook them until tender, then use the soaking water as part of the nabe cooking water. Add the vegetables that take the longest to cook first, such as lotus root, and add the softer, more delicate vegetables like greens last.
For meat, you can use thinly sliced pieces of chicken, beef, or pork. Slice the meat thinly, and if using pork belly, freeze it for 30 minutes before slicing to make it easier. For seafood, you can use fish, shellfish, red mullet, turbot, sea bream, salmon, cod, scallops, prawns, clams, or mussels. Add the seafood to the pot in small quantities, cooking each piece gradually.
For tofu, use medium to firm tofu, cubed or sliced. Add the tofu towards the end, after the vegetables and meat have cooked. Season the nabe pot with shichimi togarashi, a traditional Japanese spice blend that is commonly used as a finishing spice. You can also garnish with chopped green onions or yuzu zest, and serve with dipping sauces like ponzu or goma dare.
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Cooking: Simmer ingredients in broth, adding delicate items last
Nabe, or Japanese hot pot, is a comforting and nourishing dish that's easy to prepare and fun to eat. It involves a mixture of fresh vegetables, meat, seafood, tofu, soybean products, or seasonal ingredients, all cooked in a simmering soup broth in a pot.
To cook nabe, start by preparing your ingredients. Cut vegetables into manageable sizes—for example, halve leafy vegetables like napa cabbage, cube tofu, and cut carrots into thin shapes or cute shapes using vegetable cutters.
In a donabe (a traditional Japanese earthenware pot) or a wide pot, put in the broth ingredients and bring them to a boil. You can use water, dashi (fish stock), or stock powder as a base, and add flavour with ginger, soy sauce, sake, miso, or salt and pepper.
Once the broth is boiling, start adding your ingredients to the pot. Begin with the longest-cooking ingredients, such as root vegetables and tofu, and add delicate, quick-cooking ingredients like fresh greens and seafood towards the end. Simmer the ingredients until they are cooked to your liking.
As ingredients are cooked, remove them from the broth and place them into individual bowls, along with some of the broth to sip. You can add spices like shichimi togarashi (Japanese dried chilli spice) or rayu (hot oil) to taste, or serve with a dipping sauce like ponzu or goma dare. Continue adding more ingredients to the pot as they are eaten, and enjoy the social and interactive aspect of this comforting meal.
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Serving: Eat from the pot, dipping ingredients in ponzu or goma dare
Nabe, or Japanese hot pot, is a highly versatile dish that can be enjoyed with various dipping sauces. Two of the most popular options are ponzu and goma dare. Ponzu is a tangy citrus-based sauce made from a mix of soy sauce, dashi stock, mirin, rice vinegar, and lemon and lime juice. It is an excellent choice for those who want a refreshing and light dip for their nabe ingredients. On the other hand, goma dare is a creamy sauce made from sesame seeds. This rich and nutty sauce is perfect for those who want a more indulgent and savory experience. It pairs especially well with steamed or grilled vegetables, tofu, and noodles.
When serving nabe, it is common to eat directly from the pot. This creates a communal dining experience that is both fun and interactive. As you eat the ingredients, you can continue to add more to the pot, ensuring a continuous supply of delicious hot pot. This style of dining is perfect for gatherings with family and friends, as it encourages conversation and a shared culinary adventure.
If you choose to dip your nabe ingredients, you can prepare ponzu and goma dare in advance and serve them in separate bowls. Ponzu, with its bright citrus notes, adds a refreshing dimension to the flavors of the hot pot. It is an excellent choice for those who want to enhance the taste of their nabe without overwhelming the natural flavors of the ingredients. Goma dare, on the other hand, with its creamy texture and nutty aroma, provides a more robust and indulgent dipping experience.
For those who enjoy a spicy kick, adding shichimi togarashi (Japanese dried chili spice) or rayu (hot oil) to the pot or dipping sauces can take the flavors to the next level. The warmth of these spices blends beautifully with the richness of the broth and the freshness of the ingredients. Whether you prefer the lightness of ponzu or the creaminess of goma dare, the dipping experience adds a delightful interactive element to the communal joy of sharing a nabe meal.
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Frequently asked questions
Nabe, or Japanese hot pot, is a staple meal in Japanese cuisine. It involves a mixture of fresh vegetables, meat, seafood, tofu, soybean products, or seasonal ingredients, all cooked in a simmering soup broth in a pot.
A flavourful broth is essential because it forms the base of your whole meal. Authentic Japanese hot pot recipes call for some variant of dashi, a Japanese soup stock traditionally made from kombu, bonito flakes and dried mushrooms. Traditional hot pot veggies include napa cabbage, carrot, green onions and chrysanthemum leaves, but yosenabe is also a great way to use up any extra vegetables you might have in your fridge. You can use thinly sliced pieces of chicken, beef, pork, fish, shellfish or tofu depending on your preferences.
The most important piece of equipment for making nabe is the cooking pot itself. In Japan, various pots are used for different styles of nabe, but the most ideal cooking vessel to prepare all sorts of nabemono dishes at home is a donabe, a traditional Japanese earthenware pot. If you don't have a donabe, you can use a large braiser, flat-bottomed wok, Dutch oven, or any other large pot or pan. You will also need a portable stove, either butane or induction, depending on what kind of pot you have.
Place your broth ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil. Add in your ingredients, boiling until they are cooked. Take out the ingredients as they are cooked and put them in a bowl along with some broth. As the ingredients get eaten, add more into the pot. To finish, boil pre-cooked rice in the broth or combine the rice and broth in a bowl.
